Information distribution system

• US 7,050,990 B1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Directories Corp. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Inventors: Palma, James, Harada, Edwin, Messina, James, Mahoney, Timothy, Heatherly, Douglas, Chu, Lester
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Nicholas D.
• Application Number:
  US10/680,952
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/37, 707/2, 707/3
• US Class Current: 705/14.71
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system and method that enhances the “focus” of information exchanged between sellers and buyers. Buyers identify potential sources for goods and services that are desirable to the buyer. Buyers can focus their access to listings of seller information by identifying desirable attributes, including but not limited to: geography attributes relating to the location(s) of the seller; and category attributes relating to the various categories of offerings that interest to the buyer. The use of geographical and categorical attributes is not limited to their inclusion as part of the search terms. Instead, seller listings can be organized into hierarchies of geography-based and category-based attributes in a highly normalized fashion to enhance the ability of a buyer focus on the most desirable listings. The system can be configured to limit, order, or otherwise prioritize the information viewed by the buyer on the basis of the desired attributes identified by the buyer.

Claims

1. An information distribution system, comprising:

a request subsystem that selectively receives a request;

a response subsystem that generates a response based on the request and a placement heuristic, the response including two or more listings from a plurality of listing;

a plurality of groups and a plurality of bid amounts, said plurality of listings including a subset of listings associated with said plurality of bid amounts, wherein said subset of listings are associated with a subset of said plurality of groups, wherein at least one priority metric is generated for each subset of listings associated with a bid amount, and wherein said placement heuristic orders said subset of listings using said priority metric as an input;

wherein the listings associated with at least one group in said subset of groups are associated with a plurality of bid tiers; and

wherein said placement heuristic treats bid amounts for listings associated with the same bid tier in a similar manner.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each listing in said plurality of listings is associated with at least one fee type in a plurality of fee types.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of fee types comprise a fixed-fee and a per-hit fee.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said per-hit fee relates to a free listing.

5. The system of claim 3, said response subsystem further including a plurality of groups and a plurality of listing attributes;

wherein said response includes at least two of said plurality of groups, wherein said listings in said response include a plurality of listing attributes, said plurality of listing attributes include at least two types of listing attributes from;

(a) a plurality of geography attributes;

(b) a plurality of category attributes; and

(c) a plurality of fee types;

wherein said listings in said plurality of listings sharing the same group affiliation share two or more of;

(a) at least one geography attribute;

(b) at least one said category attribute; and

(c) at least one said fee type.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said plurality of groups includes a first group, wherein said first group includes at least three said listings that are adjacent to said listings included in said groups that are not said first group.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said response includes listings from said plurality of groups, wherein said listings are associated with a plurality of geography attributes, a plurality of category attributes, and a plurality of fee types;

wherein each said group includes said listings associated with at least two said fee types, and wherein said listings sharing the same group affiliation share at least one geography attribute, at least one said category attribute, and at least one said fee type.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each said group includes only listings sharing all said geography attributes relating to a geography selection and all said category attributes relating to a category selection.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said request includes a geography selection, and said geography selection relates to at least one of a plurality of geographic regions, wherein said plurality of geographic regions are pre-defined, and wherein said plurality of geographic regions include at least two of:

(a) a first geographic region;

(b) a second geographic region smaller than said first geographic region; and

(c) a third geographic region smaller than said second geographic region.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said second geographic region is a subset of said first geographic region and the third geographic region is a subset of said second geographic region.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said first geographic region is at least a significant portion of a nation and said third geographic region is a local municipality.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of groups, wherein each said listing is associated with at least one said group, wherein each said group includes only listings associated with the same said geographic region.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of groups, said plurality of groups including a first group, a second group, a third group, a fourth group, a fifth group, and a sixth group, wherein said plurality of listings are associated with said plurality of groups;

said first group comprising two or more said listings associated with a fixed-fee and said first geographic region;

said second group comprising two or more said listings associated with a per-hit fee and said first geographic region;

said third group comprising two or more said listings associated with a fixed-fee and said second geographic region;

said fourth group comprising two or more said listings associated with a per-hit fee and said second geographic region;

said fifth group comprising two or more said listings associated with a fixed-fee and said third geographic region;

said sixth group comprising two or more said listings associated with a per-hit fee and said third geographic region.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each said listing is associated with only one group.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one said listing in said plurality of listings includes a service area attribute.

16. The system of claim 15, further including a plurality of service area attributes, wherein said plurality of service area attributes includes a broad service area and a narrow service area.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said broad service area comprises a geographical region that includes said narrow service area.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said request includes at least one of a geography selection and a category selection.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said geography selection is identified from a geography hierarchy.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said geography hierarchy includes a first selection, a second selection comprising a smaller geographic region than said first selection, and a third selection comprising a smaller geographic region than said second selection.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said first geographic region is at least a significant portion of a nation and said third geographic region is a local municipality.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said response is generated from at least said geography selection.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein said response is generated from at least said category selection and said geography selection.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein said response is generated with at least said category selection.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein said category selection is associated with a category hierarchy.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said category hierarchy is at least three levels deep.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein said category selection is generated by a synonym metric and a text string captured within an editable field.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of said category selection and said geography selection is a blank value.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein said category selection and said geography selection are blank values.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein only listings associated with a geographical region within said geography selection are included in said response.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein only listings associated with a category scope within said category selection are included in said response.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein only listings associated with a geographical area within said geography selection are included in said response.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein said response is generated from an enhanced request.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein said placement heuristic determines an order of listings, wherein said order includes a first position and a second position lower than said first position, wherein said plurality of listings in said response includes a first listing and a second listing, wherein said first listing occupies said first position, wherein said second listing occupies said second position, and wherein said first listing is a fixed-fee listing, and wherein said second listing is a per-hit listing.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said second listing includes a per-hit amount that exceeds 0 (zero).

36. The system of claim 1, wherein said placement heuristic determines an order of listings, wherein said order includes a first position and a second position lower than said first position, wherein said plurality of listings in said response includes a first listing and a second listing, wherein said first listing occupies said first position, wherein said second listing occupies said second position, and wherein said first listing is a listing for a first geographic region, and wherein said second listing is for a second geographic region.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said second geographic region is smaller than said first geographic region.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said second geographic region is a subset of said first geographic region.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said first listing is associated with a first service area attribute and wherein said second listing is associated with a second service area attribute.

40. The system of claim 1, further comprising a bid amount associated with at least one listing, wherein said placement heuristic influences an order of listings based in part on said bid amount, wherein said bid amount does not solely control said order.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said placement heuristic influences an order of listings based in part on a position adjustment factor.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said position adjustment factor is a loyalty factor.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said loyalty factor includes relationship-duration.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein said loyalty factor includes a determination of a number of categories.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein said loyalty factor includes a total investment.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein said loyalty factor includes an analysis of activities independent of participation in said system.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein said placement heuristic calculates a priority metric by subtracting an enhanced format fee from said bid amount.

48. The system of claim 1, further comprising a results subsystem, said results subsystem including a result, wherein said response subsystem generates said response from said result, wherein said result includes more said listings than said response.

49. The system of claim 1, wherein said response is displayed on a plurality of web pages.

50. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of summary views and a plurality of detailed views, said plurality of summary views including a first summary view and a second summary view, said plurality of detailed views including a first detailed view and a second detailed view, said plurality of listings further including a first listing and a second listing,

wherein said first listing is associated with said first summary view and said first detailed view, wherein said second listing is associated with said second summary view and said second detailed view.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein said plurality of detailed views comprise at least one of an operating hours attribute and a history attribute.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein said plurality of detailed views comprise at least four of:

an operating hours attribute, a history attribute, a method of payment attribute, a brand attribute, an e-mail address attribute, a web site attribute, an address attribute, a phone number attribute, and a fax number attribute.

53. The system of claim 1, further comprising a compare function, wherein said response includes at least a first selected listing and a second selected listing, wherein invoking said compare function modifies said response so that said second selected listing is moved to a location operationally adjacent to said first selected listing.

54. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of listings includes a first listing and a second listing, wherein said placement heuristic determines an order of listings, wherein said placement heuristic places said first listing before said second listing, wherein said first listing is associated with a first bid amount, wherein said second listing is associated with a second bid amount, and wherein said second bid amount is greater than said first bid amount.

55. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of listings includes a first listing and a second listing, wherein said placement heuristic determines an order of listings, wherein said placement heuristic places said first listing before said second listing, wherein said placement heuristic is influenced by a position adjustment factor.

56. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of listings includes a first listing and a second listing, wherein said placement heuristic determines an order of listings, wherein said placement heuristic places said first listing before said second listing, wherein said first listing is associated with a first category, wherein said second listing is associated with a second category, and wherein said first category is one of:

(a) larger than said second category; and

(b) smaller than said second category.

57. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of links in said response includes a plurality of business listings and a plurality of sponsored links.

58. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bid amounts and a plurality of listing attributes, said plurality of listings including a first listing, said plurality of bid amounts including a first bid amount associated with a first listing, wherein said first bid amount is not independent of said listing attributes associated with said first listing.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein only a subset of said listings are associated with one or more said bid amounts.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein said bid amount is not independent of at least one of:

a category attribute associated with a category selection, a geography attribute associated with a geography selection, and a position adjustment factor.

61. The system of claim 60, further comprising an order of listings, wherein said bid amount influences an order of listings only with respect to at least one of:

said category attribute and said geography attribute associated with said listing that is associated with said bid amount.

62. The system of claim 1, wherein each said listing in said plurality of listings is associated with a geography attribute, a category attribute, and at least one of:

a bid amount and a fixed fee.

63. The system of claim 1, wherein for at least one said listing, said priority metric is equal to said bid amount.

64. The system of claim 1, wherein for at least one said listing, said priority metric is less than said bid amount.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein an enhance display fee is subtracted from said bid amount to calculate said priority metric.

66. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one said priority metric is calculated by adding a position adjustment factor to said bid amount.

67. The system of claim 1, wherein each said group in said subset of groups is associated with a minimum bid value.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein said subset of groups includes a first group and a second group, wherein said first group is associated with a different said minimum bid value than said second group.

69. The system of claim 1, wherein each said group in said subset of groups is associated with a minimum bid increment.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein said subset of groups includes a first group and a second group, wherein said first group is associated with a different said minimum bid increment than said second group.

71. The system of claim 1, wherein said placement heuristic randomly orders listings within the same bid tier.

72. The system of claim 1, wherein a higher bid amount in the same bid tier is mathematically likely to be displayed as often as a lower bid amount in the same bid tier.

73. The system of claim 1, wherein said response is influenced by a relationship attribute associated with a paper copy phone book.

74. The system of claim 1, wherein said placement heuristic randomly orders listings within said subset of listings.

75. The system of claim 1, wherein a higher bid amount in the same subset of listings is mathematically likely to be displayed as often as a lower bid amount in the same subset of listings.